Sunday 07 January 2018

There was a family who had a cat, and who allowed him liberty to roam freely by day. Gregarious and affectionate, he soon became a much loved visitor to the nearby railway station and hospitals complex (including two specialist ones where people were treated for mental health and for cancer, as well as a general hospital and one that practices homeopathy). Day by day he would greet the humans as they came up or down the steps between station and hospital. Sometimes he would simply sit and watch through windows, offering a purr to anyone in need. Sometimes he would patrol the station perimeter, checking for invaders. He even posed for a calendar to raise money for a cancer charity, such was his generosity of spirit. Mostly, though, he just was, a dependable presence.

People loved the cat too much, and began to tempt him with gifts of Dreamies and cartons of cat-food. His girth expanded, and he no longer needed to go home for tea... he wandered further and further each day.

One day he didn't come home, then another, then another... He was well and truly lost.

His house humans contacted his social-media alter-ego and pleas went out to help find this cat. From Australia to the USA and even nearby in Glasgow came messages of support, retweets and purrs (feline prayers). Humans walked the streets, calling his name, whistling, sometimes thinking they saw him, only to discover it was another look-a-like.

Days stretched to weeks, and still no sign of him... Hoping against hope, humans tweeted and searched...

Then one day, the humans with whom he had sought shelter recognised him, and via the wonder of the internet were able to contact his own humans. Cat and humans were reunited, and great was the rejoicing on Twitter.

He was grounded for a while, and put on a diet,since he had grown a little round. And he was given a collar that said "please do not feed this cat", lest he fall prey to temptation once more, but now once more he patrols the station and the hospitals, bringing joy to countless others.

And so I tell you, there is more rejoicing over one who is led astray and is safely returned home than over a gazillion who never wander.